Halfway Through that 5-year Window

ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 645
edited March 2018 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

Hi Ladies, Since when we are first diagnosed we hear all about the survival statistics for 5 years. Who out there has made it past the exciting halfway point of 2.5 years??

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  • WinningSoFar
    WinningSoFar Member Posts: 951
    edited October 2014

    I have -- twice.  My first primary was 15 years ago.  My second primary was 3 years ago.  The reason why my MO thinks I have two primaries is that she finds it incredible that my aggressive second primary would have taken so many years to reoccur. 

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  • Gretta
    Gretta Member Posts: 70
    edited October 2014

    Keen to hear too!! From 5 year out girls

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  • Sassa
    Sassa Member Posts: 1,588
    edited October 2014

    7 3/4 years out from the end of AC ( 6 3/4 years out from end of herceptin).

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  • ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
    ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 645
    edited April 2015

    Thanks for chiming in ladies. Wonderful. I just passed my 3-year mark since my fateful mammo and am thrilled. It has been beyond a tough road...but I'm STILL HERE!

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  • CameraKim
    CameraKim Member Posts: 81
    edited April 2015

    From diagnosis....I'm 2.5 years right now. Feels good to think of it that way. :)

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  • momwriter
    momwriter Member Posts: 310
    edited April 2015

    I'm 2.5 out as well- feels so much longer than that though!

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  • ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
    ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 645
    edited April 2015

    Sassa, Almost 8 years...so awesome!!!!

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  • AlaskaAngel
    AlaskaAngel Member Posts: 1,836
    edited April 2015

    Now 64 years old. Tumor was 1.9 cm. I am 12 1/2 years out from tx.

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  • LizA17
    LizA17 Member Posts: 159
    edited April 2015

    awesome Alaskaangel!

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  • ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
    ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 645
    edited April 2015

    Good to hear lots of long time survivors who had A/C and we got strong again!

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  • ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
    ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 645
    edited June 2015

    I recently became aware of my ki67 of 40%. I'm starting to truly appreciate the miracle of life believing I'm NED - which I pray is the case. Today is my 3-year anniversary of finishing chemo.

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  • Sassa
    Sassa Member Posts: 1,588
    edited June 2015

    Mariasnow, with your pathology of ER/PR-, HER2+, you are now over the 3 year hump of your highest risk of recurrence. It is all down hill for recurrence risk for you and the risk will continue to drop as you get further out.


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  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited June 2015

    Just had my 3 year anniversary of finishing chemo as well.  I had to stop Herceptin after 3 months due to heart issues, so I value each day!  Now my sister is going through it.  Chemo #2 for her today - UGH.  But I have more hope for her than I did for myself.

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  • ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
    ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 645
    edited June 2015

    Well done Denise-G! I know you will be a great comfort, support, and help for your sister. Welcome to the 3-year club

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  • ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
    ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 645
    edited September 2015

    I just passed my 3.5 year window. I'm still very scared to start succeeding and achieving at life again. I feel like if I do it will hurt so much worse if I lose a life that I've built back up. I've been sabotaging myself over-eating to suppress coming back into my own.

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  • Girlstrong
    Girlstrong Member Posts: 438
    edited September 2015

    Mariasnow...no need to fear. Live your life because it is a gift. Easier said than done, I know, but you can do it. You have come so far. 3.5 years out from dx is huge. Your my hero!!! I am 26 months out from diagnoses and counting every day

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  • ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
    ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 645
    edited September 2015

    So true, Girlstrong. I just climbed a mountain in Montana and did the hardest Ashtanga yoga of my life in the past few weeks despite all my physical woes. I'm staying grateful just this one day.

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  • ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
    ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 645
    edited November 2015

    Would love to hear more survival stories from my sisters.

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  • ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
    ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 645
    edited December 2015

    I just passed 3.75 years since diagnosis. 🎈🎈🎈

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  • Mommato3
    Mommato3 Member Posts: 633
    edited December 2015


    Congrats Maria

    I'm only about 20 months since diagnosis. I like reading all the encouraging stories. It gives me hope that I may be there one day too

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  • Girlstrong
    Girlstrong Member Posts: 438
    edited January 2016

    happy cancerversary to me . Today marks 2.5 years since diagnosis......thank you God!!!!! I'm still trucking along....living more each day

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  • ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
    ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 645
    edited January 2016

    congrats on 20 months and 2.5 years!! So wonderful !!!

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  • Sunny_Girl
    Sunny_Girl Member Posts: 111
    edited January 2016

    Third week in July 2012 is when I had my bilateral mastectomy (no reconstruction), December 7th was my 3 year mark for my last dose (s) of TCH (finished Herceptin in July the following summer), followed by radiation.

    Some parts are easier, life's been great (my daughter got married & we are going to be grandparents in a few months - YAY!!!) but some parts are harder - moments of chilling fear & anxiety that it will reoccur.

    YEAH for 3 plus many many more years to follow -

    Patty


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  • ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
    ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 645
    edited January 2016

    3 cheers for sunny girl 3 years!!!

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  • Sunny_Girl
    Sunny_Girl Member Posts: 111
    edited January 2016

    Thank you for starting this thread - it's nice to see others that started this journey around the same time I did.

    Patt

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  • ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
    ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 645
    edited February 2016

    I'm a month away from hitting 4 years since diagnosis now. It's a huge deal.

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  • CameraKim
    CameraKim Member Posts: 81
    edited February 2016

    4 years...that's wonderful!!! I'm three years surgery next month...I'll be 4 years diagnosis in September!! I check on this thread often...keeps me hopeful :)


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  • ahdjdbcjdjdbkf
    ahdjdbcjdjdbkf Member Posts: 645
    edited February 2016

    Great CameraKim. I will check back and post when I have good news to share!

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  • Flat-tered
    Flat-tered Member Posts: 5
    edited February 2016

    Congratulations to everyone who has made it so far. I am at the beginning and feel good about what is going to happen over the next couple of months. I feel more uncertain about the next five years given HER2+++. I am about to have a double mastectomy so my typical line of defense (monitoring) is gone - no more mammograms. What I don't know is how will I stay on top of this and make sure it doesn't come back or if it does make sure it is caught early. I am not sure where to post these questions so please feel free to guide me on the right place to put this.

    First question - I would like to know how you have proactively make sure it hasn't come back or if you have to just wait for symptoms. Not sure if you do a CT scan on a set schedule or something similar.

    Second question - Now that I know I have HER2+++, I'd really like to make sure it isn't anywhere else. That would give me some peace of mind. Will the doctor's rule out that it is no where else or will they just treat what is known?

    I meet with my oncologist for the first time in 3 days. I'd like to go to that meeting well informed and armed with questions to make the best use of that time.

    Thanks in advance!!!


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  • MaineRottweilers
    MaineRottweilers Member Posts: 156
    edited February 2016

    Monitoring doesn't seem to be consistent from MO to MO. You'll have to see what is recommended by your MO and try to work a plan for monitoring that satisfies you both.

    My MO didn't incorporate scans or tumor markers in monitoring post treatment. He assured me that I was cured ans I should live as cured and try not to worry. In fact, I was doing so well, we had decided that we would have one more visit in October and then just visit annually after that. He told me to listen to my body, if I were to have a recurrence, it would become obvious, our visit was in February when we made this plan. I started having issues in April, just small twinges of back pain, I developed a strange rash much like the one I had several month before my first Dx. By July the end, I knew something was wrong. Dealt with my PCP who sent me to a chiropractor but I checked with my MO before going and once he saw my radiographs, he said NO chiropractor and started scheduling scans immediately. By October, I was restaged and back in treatment. My tumor burden was very, very small. My RO said that even if I had been scanned in April -July, it's unlikely that there would have been enough active cells to show on scans. It would have been false hope and may really have delayed actual Dx in Aug-Oct.

    So bottom line, follow your MOs advice but frequent scanning may not be useful and could be harmful. Pay attention to your body and in my case, I should have gone right to my MO and skipped my PCP who tried to paralyze me with her ignorance.

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